State says 12 SANDF soldiers accused of killing Hawks' Frans Mathipa threatened new investigators

JOHANNESBURG - The State in the case against 12 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members said that the disgraced soldiers made fresh threats against new investigators probing the murder of a Hawk’s official.

On Friday, the 12 members of the army’s special forces unit were in the dock at the Randburg Magistrates Court, where they are applying for bail following their arrest almost two weeks ago.

READ: State in 12 murder-accused SANDF members case paint grim picture of army's special forces

They are accused of having a hand in the 2023 murder of Hawks investigator, Frans Mathipa.

At the time of his death, Mathipa was investigating the soldiers’ alleged involvement in the abduction and possible murder of two foreign nationals.

After his death in August 2023, a new lead investigator took over the probe into the disappearance of Abdella Abadiga and his bodyguard.

They were taken from the Mall of Africa in broad daylight in December 2022, allegedly by some of the members of the SANDF special forces.

The pair were never found and are now assumed to be dead.

To cover their tracks, prosecutors in the case said the army unit put out a hit on Mathipa.

Now targeting the new investigator, the State said the soldiers approached a known hitman in a failed attempt to execute the current investigator.

A note was also sent to the team: "You can appoint anyone, we will kill all of them all."

It's unclear when the threats were made.

The State said if released on bail, they could return to finish the job.

In their bail statements, the 12 SANDF members denied being involved in Mathipa’s death and the disappearance of Abadiga and his bodyguard.